Shoe-form



J. C. SCHELTEH. SHOE FORM.

APPLICATION FILED APR-21,1919.

15399304. v v Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

. WVZNTJF- cause, during the first part of the withdraw-- STit-E.

" e ra e JOHN o/scnnnrnn, or nocnins'rnn, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB r0 rrrz-nivrrrnn DOUBLE PIVOT LAST COMPANY, or AUBURN, MAINE, A conronnrron or MAINE.

SHOE-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patrgntad Dec. 1 3, 192 1.

Application filed April 21, 1919. SerialNo. 291,539.

T '0 (d5 whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. SCHELTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Shoe-Forms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to devices forfilling out boots or shoes, such devices being also known in the art variously as trees, followers, fillers, or lasts. To avoid repetition, I shall hereinafter refer to a device embodying my invention as a form, by which term I intend to include any device for filling out a shoe, boot, slipper or other similar article of foot covering. I

One of many well-known" types of shoe forms which, when inserted in a shoe, will stretch it more or less both in-the direction of its length and transversely thereto, comprises a forepart longitudinally divided to form two sections connected by togglelinks, and a heel bearing block having a longitudinally adjustable connection with the midjoint of said togglelinks; Insuch a form any movement of the midjoint of the toggle toward the toe, beyond a straight line intersecting the outer pivots of the links, not only permits the forepart to collapse after having been spread, but also interferes with ready release of the form from the shoe being movement, the toe sections must be spread until the mid-joint of the links returns past said straight line.

It is to overcome this objection or difiic'ulty particularly that an important feature of the invention has been developed. In accordance with this feature of the invention,-

the two sections of the forepart are not hinged together and are therefore free to spread in parallel relationship and the toggle links which operate to spread and contract the said sections are provided with.

not quite reach a straight line or dead center when being actuated to sections-of the forepart. I

Another feature of importance is the pro vision of a structure of forepart that will spread the two be so'held by or supported on the toggle links alone that there can be no such relative torsional movement of the parts of the form as might interfere with easy insertion to place in" a shoe.

in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a shoe form embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, one of the forepart sections being removed;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan View, enlarged, of

the toggle links which spread and contract the forepart sections;

Fig. i is a perspective view, enlarged, of

one of the forepart sections.

The forepart of the form comprises two sections 12, preferably of wood, the opposing faces of said sections being preferably fiat and adapted to abut when the form is reduced to its narrowestwidth. As will be hereinafter explained, the forepartsections '12 are extended when fitted in a shoe by pressure of a bearing block l3-"against the The toggles 17 arepreferablyformed of I sheet metal 'stampings as shown. offsetnear its middle by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of'the plate, as shown at 17 7 Also pivotally connected at 19 is a horizontal car 20 of a universal coupling the vertical ears 21 of which carry the pivot pin 22 for the link member 23 of any suitable or preferred connection with the heelbearing member 13. Thisconnection of the heel-bearing member may also comprise a link 24, the two links 23, 24 having a suit able adjustable pivotal connection so that said links 23', 24 may be actuated practically Each is as a longitudinal toggle of the device so that when the forepart 12 is inserted in the toe of a shoe and the heel-bearing block 13 placed against the inside of the heel of the shoe and the toggle links 23, 2a straight ened out, the result will be to force the midjoint or pivot 19 of the transverse toggles 17 toward the toe of the shoe so as to ex pand the forepart in a well-known manner.

The narrow cuts 14 in the sections 12 are adapted to snugly fit the outer portions of the toggle links 17 to prevent torsional movement relatively thereto, thereby holding the parts normal, when loose, in such relative position as not to interfere with easy insertion of the form in a shoe. In other words, the outer portions of the toggles 17 support the blocks 12 or carry them in such manner that they will always be in substantially such parallel relationship as to be easily slipped into a shoe. The wider. cuts 15, 16 are adapted to accommodate the pivot 19 and lugs 25, and the cars 21, so that a minimum quantity of wood is removed from the forepart members for theaccommodation of the operating mechanism.

To prevent the toggle links 17 from being carried to such relative positions that the mid-pivot or joint 19 thereof would pass beyond a straight line intersecting the outer pivots 18, one or both of the links 17 is provided with a lug 25 (see F ig.3) struck up from the side of the plate and adapted to bear against an end surface of the opposite link. In Fig. 3 each of the links 17 has a lug 25 so located relatively to the con necting pivot 19 of the two links as to prevent the toggle from being straightened out in any such manner as would tend to interfere with ready release from the shoe. Preferably each of the links 17 has a lug having a head extending into a socket 27 in the opposite section 12. The shank of the pin extends through a reduced hole at the base of the socket so that the head can not slip through, while at the same time the sections 12 are permitted to move freely toward and from each other within the limits set by the length of the shank of the pin.

Having described my invention, what I claim is I A shoe form comprising two forepart sections loosely confined at their forward ends and arranged to spread freely laterally, a pivotally connected pair of toggle links connecting the sections, said links being formed of sheet metal and each having a struck-up tongue on one edge arranged to abut against the end of the other link as the links are opened to expanded position to act as a limiting stop,whereby to arrest the links before the pivot of the said pivotal connection has passed the line joining their extremities, a heel member and a universal joint connecting said heel member with said pivot, the last-named connection also comprising means to separate the heel member from the forepart members and simultaneously to expand the toggle links, said forepart sections having stepped slots in which thetoggle links v are mounted, said steps corresponding to the thicknesses of the links,

' tongues and universal joint respectively, to

secure minimum removal of wood from the sect1ons,and proper allnement between the parts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 7 name to this specification.

JOHN G. SCI-IELTER. 

